Still SM, still not me.

Thanks to SunKing and Sarahsumbrella for beta-ing!

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CHAPTER 25: Man On

The arena was dim and eerily silent when we finally left. I glanced around as Bella and I walked into the lobby, not even hearing the maintenance crew at work. I was worried for a moment, thinking maybe we were locked inside, but the door pushed open easily. I paused as I held it for Bella, frowning and looking behind us into the empty lobby. I tipped my head to listen intently.

"Edward?" She had stopped and turned to look at me. "What's wrong? Did you forget something?"

"No," I said absently, taking one last glance around and then shaking my head. I'd just had one of those weird feelings shiver up my spine. It wasn't quite déjà vu, more like… I didn't know. I shook it off when I realized Bella was watching me anxiously. I was being stupid and was worrying my girl.

I slung my bag over my shoulder and pulled her close with my other arm. She was warm and relaxed against my side. I tipped my head and brushed my nose along her soft cheek, breathing in her sweet scent mixed with the pleasant musky undertones of sweat and sex. My sweat and sex. I couldn't help thinking about how she'd gotten my sweat and sex on her, and I began to plan to get them on her again as soon as possible.

"Wear the garter that matches that bra for me later," I murmured in her ear as we walked slowly toward where I'd parked the Volvo. She gasped and scrunched her shoulders a little, but leaned into me. "Just the garter and the bra. Don't bother with the panties. They'll just get in my way." She let out a nervous, delighted giggle, and I smiled into her hair.

"I don't want anything between you and my mouth." I remembered how badly I'd wanted my mouth on her in the equipment room, and how I'd been thwarted. I wouldn't be again. "I'm going to slip my tongue under those lacey little straps that run up your legs, taste your pretty skin, until I get to the really tasty parts…"

"Edward!" Her protest was a moaning half-squeak.

"Mmm." I rubbed my face against her neck teasingly, and she laughed.

I was grinning as we came around the side of the arena to where the car was parked. I saw something move in the shadows behind the vehicle, something that made the first tendril of alarm settle in my belly. That tendril turned into a wave of dread when I realized the shadows were three men, and the one in the middle was James Lucard. I didn't know what the hell he was doing hanging out by my car, but I knew it couldn't be good.

"Lucard," I said curtly, coming to a stop and pulling Bella slightly behind me.

I slid my equipment bag off my shoulder and let it fall to the ground. I hoped like hell she'd understand she had to stay close, but give me enough room to move quickly if I needed to. My mouth filled with the metallic taste of fear as I realized how badly I was outnumbered. It would be impossible to protect Bella if they decided to get really nasty—and I had no doubt at all Lucard could get really, really nasty. I'd seen it firsthand. My heart pounded, and I felt a little lightheaded, but my concentration was focused and sharp on his shadowed figure. I might have been outnumbered, but I would give them the fight of their lives to keep them from Bella.

"Cullen." His voice was soft but pleased as it carried across the space between us. He knew he had the upper hand and was determined to make me suffer as long as he had it, just like the coward he was. I could only hope that someone would drive by or come out of the arena soon.

"I see you have your cunt with you," he continued softly. "Cullen's Cunt."

A red haze of rage obscured my vision. I fought it, knowing his goal was to distract me, make me lose whatever control I had, and with it any chance of getting us out of this situation in one piece. The other two brutes he was with would have me in a second if I went after him, and Bella would be completely vulnerable. I knew it, but it still took all my strength not to react to his slur against my girl.

"Has quite a ring to it, don't you think?" He tipped his head, and even in the dim light of the parking lot, I could see his eyes glitter in anticipation. He wants you to come after him, I reminded myself. Don't play his game. Don't play right into his hands.

Bella's hand touched my back and fisted in the material of my jacket. I recognized it as an unconscious reaction to her fear. Fury and frustration trembled through my body, and I saw Lucard's pleased smile. I wanted to reassure her, but I couldn't afford to show any weakness or risk taking my focus off the three threatening figures even for an instant. I didn't want to do anything that would bring her to their attention. Let them concentrate on me, even if Lucard was trying to use her presence to drive me into a rage.

His smile widened as he tipped his head, never taking his eyes from mine. That's right, asshole, I thought. It's me you want. Leave her out of this. Any hopes of that happening were dashed when he said, "Ahhh. I can smell her, Cullen. You two have been very naughty in the locker room, haven't you? Is she any good?"

I knew he couldn't smell her or anything else at that distance. It was only a guess, a perceptive calculation used to infuriate me. I knew it, but it worked. The implied threat that he was interested in her, that he wanted to put his hands on her, broke my control. Rage roared through me, mixed with the horrible mental images of the last girl I had seen his hands on—the blood, the screaming, the shock and horror of it all. Not Bella. Not my girl. Never. Not while I still had a breath left in my body.

I wasn't concerned about my own safety. The only thing I could think about was taking him out, making sure he never laid a finger on her, and that he never even thought about her again. I started forward, my one and only objective to give him a taste of his own medicine, but the two assholes with him stepped forward and blocked my path. It brought me suddenly and shockingly to my senses.

I liked my chances against any one of them—they were better than good, actually—but two would be a lot trickier. And three? I didn't stand a chance in hell. And if I didn't stand a chance… Holy Christ. Bella. My hands shook and my body trembled at the thought. Bella. I had to think fast. I had to be as clever and as quick as I'd ever been in my life to get us out of the situation. I'd take my chances if it were just me. My rage and fury were pretty close to being overwhelming, but…Bella. I couldn't risk her. I wouldn't risk her, not a hair on her head. I had to get her out of there quickly, before the situation escalated and someone got seriously hurt. I had no doubt that was where it was heading.

"You won't touch her." I'd never meant anything more in my life, even though I couldn't see how I was going to stop it. I was vibrating in fear, in anger, in reaction to the danger of the situation and the fact I couldn't control what was happening. I didn't know how I was going to get us out of there without a really bad and unequal fight. I couldn't see how I was going to keep Bella safe, and it scared the ever-loving shit out of me. I took a deep breath and braced myself. I might have been horribly outnumbered, but I'd let them know they'd been in a fight if they tried. "I'll kill you before I let you touch her."

Lucard made an amused noise. "Temper, temper, Cullen," he taunted me. "I just wanted to congratulate you on a game well played and make sure you weren't too badly injured." That was bullshit. He proved my point as his eyes moved insultingly over Bella when she took a step closer to me. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your pretty little cunt?"

I would kill him. I was going to take him out, and damn the consequences. Damn the fact that I was outnumbered, and damn him to fucking hell. I wanted to take him apart with my bare hands and dance in his blood. I was going to—

"Edward." Bella's voice was shaky and terrified, and it snapped me out of my bloodlust. Her fingers trembled as they tentatively touched my back, almost if she was scared of me. It brought reality, and my wits, crashing back like nothing else could. I had to use my head. I had to get her out of there, no matter what my male pride demanded. She had to be my number one priority. Icy calm took the place of the heated rage that had been coursing through me.

"Get in the car, Bella." I ignored the other two goons and kept my gaze locked on James Lucard. He had a faintly amused smile on his face, but his eyes were cold and watchful as we stared at each other.

"Edward, don't—" she started to protest, and I felt my hard-won control crack at the evidence of fear in her voice.

"Get in the car!" I said forcefully.

I couldn't take the time to explain to her or shift my attention from James Lucard. I wanted the barriers of steel and glass between her and the other three men. I wanted her one step closer to being safe. James had made no move toward me, and I was beginning to hope that I just might be able to get Bella out of there with no blood spilled. He wanted to taunt me, to try to goad me into throwing the first punch and start a fight I couldn't win. He wanted me to put Bella at risk through my own actions, so I would have to live with the pain and guilt if something happened to her. He was a sadistic motherfucker, but an incredibly intelligent one. I couldn't let myself forget that fact no matter how furious he made me. I had to be smarter. I had to be calmer. I had to be better.

All my senses were sharp and clear as a bell. I could see every expression that moved across their faces, hear the air gasping in and out of Bella's lungs, the rustle of her clothes, and each soft scrape and slide of her shoes on the asphalt as she moved slowly toward the car. I never took my eyes off Lucard as I followed her progress, moving deliberately backward until she was at the passenger side door. I didn't dare spare her a glance, but with my hyper-aware senses, I knew when she was inside and it was safe to close the door. I did so carefully, gently, because I could feel the rage trembling up my arms. I wanted to hit something. I wanted to hit Lucard, and knowing I couldn't, I wanted to take it out on the door. But I had to be careful. It would only scare Bella more, and I couldn't let Lucard know just how close to the edge I was. I moved to the other side of the car, bending down to grab my equipment bag and toss it in the backseat.

I reached for the driver's door, my heart pounding rapidly as I realized how close I was to getting Bella out of there safely. I pulled the door open and settled my gaze on him one last time, battling my frustration and embracing my relief. His eyes flickered down to where I was gripping the doorframe, my knuckles white and tense.

"Lucard…" I forced my mouth closed, grinding my jaw in an effort to not verbalize the anger, frustration, or impotent fury that coursed though me. He was a bully of the worst kind, one capable of unspeakable violence when the odds were stacked in his favor. I knew he was waiting to see if he could push me over the edge and give him clear advantage of the situation. I absolutely refused to let that happen.

I sat in my seat and gave him one last long stare before I put my arm on the back of Bella's seat to check behind me. There was no one else in the parking lot, so I hit the gas and got us out of there. I could feel the adrenaline crash coming, feel the tremors that wanted to wrack my body, darken my vision, and make me all fuzzy headed, but I couldn't allow it. Not quite yet. I gulped in air through my mouth, but it was no use. My body ached with suppressed tension, and I could feel the quiver starting in my shoulders. I rolled them, but the vibration moved down to my elbows, which I pressed hard against my body to try to still them. It just continued on to my hands, and my fingers gripped the steering wheel so hard I could feel them sinking into the padded leather. When my thighs started to quake, I hit the brakes and pulled over to the side of the road.

My head was spinning as I tried to deal with my physical responses as well as try to make sense out of what had just happened. I had no idea how we had gotten out of there without a fight, but I had never been more grateful for anything in my entire life. When I thought about James Lucard getting anywhere near Bella, let alone touching her…

Without conscious thought, my hand fisted, and I hit the steering wheel. It felt good to release some of my aggravation, so I did it again. I sensed Bella flinching next to me and was instantly remorseful. She didn't need anything else scaring her, especially not her unstable boyfriend. She needed me, and I tried desperately to tamp down on my fury. I had to get it together so I could offer her the comfort and security she needed.

My strength, my carefully honed body, my mind—none of it meant anything if I couldn't use it to protect the girl who meant everything. I wanted to wad her up into a tight little ball and stuff her inside my chest where she would be safe and secure always, where no threat could get to her, where nothing could harm her, least of all my past. I'd never regretted stopping James from hurting that girl any more than he already had when we came upon them, but I suddenly found myself wishing I hadn't with every fiber of my being. The guilt I felt at wishing that was insignificant when compared to the fear I felt for Bella, for my girl. I knew what James Lucard was capable of better than anyone. She was in serious danger because of me.

I grabbed for my control in great big handfuls, hauling it back, gripping and holding tight until I owned that motherfucker again. I wanted to clutch her, I wanted to hold her to me and absorb her until I was certain right down to my soul she was secure and unharmed. I wanted to do that so badly, but I was afraid I'd scare her, so I made sure I didn't. I couldn't, not until I was certain I had my fear and temper under control. I didn't want to hurt her in my desperation to make sure she was safe. My hands still shook and my body trembled as I remembered the sheer terror I'd felt when I knew I wouldn't be able to protect her.

A heavy, tense silence filled the interior of the car, and her voice was unsteady as she tried to speak. "Edward...what…who…"

I took a deep, deep breath and released it, picturing all my rage and impotence going with it out of my body, out of my mind, and out of the car. I rubbed my hands over my face and regained some of my balance. She deserved an explanation. Hell, she deserved a lot more than that, but an explanation was all I could offer her.

"James Lucard," I said, my voice rough. "He goes to Port Angeles High and plays for their team, obviously. We had a, uh, run-in a couple of years ago and don't really get along."

I didn't think I could tell her the whole story, not a when my emotions were so raw. I wasn't sure if I would ever be able to get into it with her. I didn't want her to know. I didn't want it to be real, to be something that could possibly affect her. I couldn't relive those awful days, not with her sitting so scared and vulnerable next to me. I couldn't even begin to imagine if he…if he ever…

I pounded on the steering wheel in denial of my thoughts. I could feel the anxiety and anger trying to build up inside of me again.

"It's taking everything I have not to turn around and go after him," I said through clenched teeth. I wanted to go back and make sure he couldn't come near Bella ever again. "I can't stand it!"

I obviously hadn't gotten my temper under control as well as I thought. I tried to take another calming breath, but I couldn't. I just couldn't. Images of James Lucard beating that girl rose unbidden in my mind, and I fought back a shuddering gasp as I thought of that maniac anywhere near my Bella. I would go back to that parking lot in a heartbeat, no matter the odds or whom he had with him, but…Bella. I couldn't, not with her in the car. I had to get her safe. I couldn't risk it.

"Fuck!" I had to think of the girl sitting next to me. My girl. My Bella. There wasn't anything I wouldn't do for her, even go against what every cell in my body demanded I do—eliminate the threat. I wanted to hit, to strike out, to protect. I wanted to bite the fucking steering wheel and rip it to pieces. I wanted to howl with the conflicting emotions, but I settled for pressing my forehead against the wheel and holding on, struggling, until I had myself under control once again. My temper was a vicious thing, but I owned it.

I opened my eyes, staring at nothing, the middle of the steering wheel only millimeters from my face. I saw her hand reach toward me and hover in the air between us before she pulled slowly back and fisted it in her lap. My heart clenched. My Bella was scared to touch me. The knowledge was devastating. I was being an idiot, thinking about how I felt and not realizing my girl needed me. I managed a smile, and it must not have been too bad, because she returned it. Her body relaxed in relief, and I grabbed her hand to hold it carefully in mine.

"Distract me," I asked her desperately. I needed her to distract us both.

"What?" She brought my fingers to her mouth to kiss them, and the tension began to drain from my body at the tender gesture. Oh, how I loved her.

"Distract me," I repeated softly, examining her face. I wanted to make sure she was okay, really okay, because I knew she wouldn't tell me the truth if I asked. Her eyes were still a little wide, but they were clear and warm. She looked as well as I could expect after having the holy living shit scared out of her... Fuck. I was getting pissed again. "Say something so I don't turn around and go back there."

"Um, we should get you to the hospital before your mom and dad come looking for you?" Her gaze went to my forehead. I was confused for a second, until I remembered the cut above my eye. Because of...yeah. Fucking James Lucard.

I took a deep breath, turning her hand so I could press a kiss to the sensitive center of her palm. I closed my eyes and let the feel of her hand cupping my face soothe me.

"I'm sorry, Bella," I murmured. I opened my eyes and forced myself to meet her gaze. "I'm sorry you had to see that tonight. I never wanted you to be in that situation. It scared the holy fuck out of me, you being there. It was the only thing that stopped me...I wanted to…I should have…"

"It's okay, Edward. I'm so glad you didn't do anything stupid. It wasn't your fault."

She really believed it, but of course it was my fault. She wouldn't have been there, would never had come to James Lucard's attention or been on his radar if it wasn't for me. I'd done something I never thought possible—I'd put her in danger. Not intentionally, but still. Even after the shit he'd pulled on the ice earlier that night, I never expected he'd actually wait for me in the parking lot after the game. He might have been batshit crazy, but he was smart, and that was a very dangerous combination. It was what had kept him out of jail so far. I wouldn't underestimate him again. I couldn't afford to, not with Bella's safety at stake.

I offered to take Bella home before I went to the hospital, knowing her squeamishness around blood. The cut on my forehead wasn't bleeding anymore, but I knew she probably wouldn't hold up very well watching stitches get put in my face. She insisted on going with me, which in all honesty was a relief. I was still pretty shaken up over the incident with Lucard, and I didn't want her alone in her house until her dad came home. I didn't know if she actually was safer with me, but at least I'd know where and how she was until I could calm down.

The receptionist paged my dad once we got to the ER, and he brought us to an exam room right away. Bella huddled in a chair in the corner, as far away as she could get and still be in the room. She watched with wide-eyed dismay as Dad pulled the temporary bandage away from the cut. I felt bad, knowing she was not only worried about me—even though she didn't need to be, the gash was no big deal—but also experiencing her usual discomfort with any medical procedure. I watched her closely for signs of barfing or fainting as Dad cleaned my forehead and prepared to numb the area. Her eyes widened when she saw the needle, and her hand flew to her mouth. I started to tell her it was okay if she wanted to stand outside in the hall so she couldn't see, but she beat me to it.

"Do you want juice?" She was already running out of the room. "I'll go get juice! Be right back!"

Dad and I exchanged an amused glance as she disappeared. I figured she'd be safe enough in the halls of Forks General. I started to scowl at the thought, and flinched when it interfered with the needle Dad was poking into my eyebrow.

"Everything okay?" he asked, sitting back to wait for the cut to get numb.

"Yeah." I hunched my shoulders and shook my head slowly. I knew I needed to tell him what had happened after the game. "Dad, Lucard was waiting for us in the parking lot of the rink when Bella and I were walking back to the car."

He lurched forward, his hands braced on his thighs. His eyes went over me frantically, looking for other wounds, I guess, or torn clothes or something. "What? Why? Are you both okay? What happened?"

I shrugged. "I'm fine. We're fine. He didn't do anything, just showed up with a couple of his friends. He was trying to intimidate me or something."

"His friends?" Dad looked like he wanted to get up and hit something. He looked just like I felt.

"Yeah. It wasn't any big deal." I tried to downplay it do he wouldn't freak out. Nothing actually had happened, after all.

"James Lucard showed up in a parking lot with a couple of his friends, tying to intimidate you, and it's no big deal?" He was starting to get pretty red, which was a bit alarming.

I shrugged again. "He just said a couple of things, trash talking." I clenched my jaw as I remembered the things he said about Bella. "Nothing threatening, and he didn't touch either one of us."

I felt sick at the thought of him touching Bella. Of him being anywhere near enough to touch her.

Dad must have been watching me closer than I realized, because the alarm on his face grew. "I'm going to have another talk with Chief Taylor in Port Angeles. Have you said anything to Bella? Told her about what happened? I'll talk to Charlie, too."

"No, I haven't said anything, but I will. I'll say something to her tonight. I guess she needs to know to let me or her dad know if she sees him again." My stomach churned, which wasn't the best thing to have happen as Dad picked up the needle and began sewing me back together.

"You need to tell her to be careful. You need to be careful." I could feel the tug and pull of the suture gliding through the skin just above my eyebrow.

I grunted in affirmation as he snipped and stitched, and after placing six careful and neat knots, he cleaned me up and pressed a bandage over his work. I looked up at a sound at the door, and smiled when I saw Bella's pale, anxious face peering into the cubicle.

"All done." I glanced at the plastic juice cups she was clenching in her hands. "For me?"

"Yeah." She held one out and opened the other. Taking a deep breath, she tossed back the juice cup like a shot of whiskey. I tried not to laugh. "Wow. That doesn't look too bad."

"Six stitches," I told her, glancing at dad to see if he was done.

"Six?" She suddenly looked a little green, and I hid a smile at her squeamishness. Six stitches was barely a scratch.

"Yeah. I'll be a little mini-Frankenstein for a while." I tried to distract her by goofing around, holding my arms out on front of me and lurching across the room like the monster. I was rewarded with her laugh and reached for my jacket. "Dad says it won't leave too bad of a scar."

"A scar?" She swallowed convulsively.

I mentally slapped myself for reminding her that it was deep enough it might leave a permanent mark. Dad made a joke about how another scar would keep me from looking like a pretty boy, and her eyes flew to my face in concern. She liked my face. I was okay with that, because I knew she liked everything else, too. I tried to give her a leer, but the expression tugged at the stitches, and I winced. I didn't realize how much I used my damn eyebrows in common, everyday expressions.

Dad discharged me, and we walked out into the parking lot to the car. I felt tension seep through me with the memory of what had occurred in the arena parking lot, even though I knew it was extremely unlikely Lucard would show up at the populated, well-lit hospital just to fuck with me. I didn't take any chances and remained alert, coming to a stop next to the car when Bella placed her hand on my arm.

"Did you tell your dad about James Lucard? About what he did after the game?"

I turned to her, pulling her close and resting my forehead on top of her hair. "I mentioned it. I'm hoping it was just a one-time thing, because he was in Forks for the hockey game tonight. If you see him again, Bella, anywhere, even from a distance, promise me you'll let me know right away. Or let your dad know. James Lucard…he's crazy. Don't mess around if you see him, okay? Just let one of us know."

"Okay." She gave me a hug. "What did happen tonight, Edward?"

"Well, like I said, he and I don't get along for a lot of reasons. He's a bully, but a dangerous one. There's no reason for him to be in Forks after tonight, so I don't imagine we'll be seeing him again. But just in case you do..." I hoped she understood the gravity of the situation. I knew I needed to give her the full story, but I wasn't about to do that standing outside Forks General Hospital. As long as she knew to watch out for Lucard and let someone know if she saw him, I figured it was enough for the moment.

She offered to drive, but I just scoffed as I settled her into the car. I was just glad to put that night behind us even if it meant I had to take her home.